Whirlpool Galaxy (M51; NGC 5194)

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bottom: cropped image

A face-on spiral galaxy in the
constellation Canes Venatici at a distance of 13 million light
years. It was the first galaxy to be recognized as having spiral
structure when it was observed by Lord Rosse in 1845. It is accompanied
by a much smaller irregular galaxy, NGC 5195, which is in orbit
around it.